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As indirect negotiations begin in Egypt aimed at ending the war in Gaza, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, has called on Christians to act as a bridge for peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking from his residence in Jerusalem’s Old City, Cardinal Pizzaballa said that although Christians make up just about 1% of the population in the region, they are uniquely positioned to contribute to healing and dialogue due to their perceived neutrality in the conflict.
“Christians are not seen as a threat by either side,” he said, emphasizing the potential role of the small but steadfast Christian community in promoting a shared postwar future. “This gives us a chance to help rebuild trust — but we must start from a very painful and broken reality.”
His remarks come as Israeli and Hamas officials open indirect talks in Cairo on a U.S.-drafted peace plan. The negotiations coincide with the second anniversary of the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that ignited the ongoing war and sparked widespread violence across the region.
Despite deep wounds, Pizzaballa said there is a cautious sense of hope among Christians, even in Gaza, where the community has endured heavy losses. The only Catholic church in the territory, damaged by an Israeli shell in July, continues to provide spiritual and physical shelter to those in need.
“People keep dying every day out there. But at least in the air, you feel something different, you hope that maybe this is going to finish,” the Latin Patriarch said.
He warned, however, that rebuilding peace would require confronting the full extent of the damage the war has inflicted.
“This war made all the different issues — political, religious, economic, cultural — explode,” he said. “Now we have to rethink everything anew.
PeakNews Online
